Closure for mail-bags.



A. W. CLARK.

CLOSURE FOB MAIL BAGS. APPLICATION FILED 8EPT.3,1909.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

WM ARON \A/GLARK.

UNITED STATE PATENT @FFIGE.

AARON W. CLARK, OF WINSLOW, ARKANSAS.

CLOSURE FOR MAIL-BAGS.

Application filed September 3, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AARON lV. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vinslow, in the county of \Vashington, State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Closures for Mail-Bags; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will onable others skilled in the art to which it up pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to closures for mail. bags.

The object of the invention is to provide an innproved closure designed especially for mail bags, but which may be applied Willi equal facility to other bags and like rereptacles, and which will be simple in construction and convenient in use, being easily fastened and unfastened, of great strength, and practically immune against accidental opening.

lVith the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter fully described and set forth in the claims.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters of reference denote like parts in the several views, and in which,

Figure 1 is a plan'view of a mail bag constructed with the improved closure; Fig. 2, a view similar to Fig. 1 with the upper locking plate removed and. thrown back; Fig. 3, a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the bottom of the closure; Fig. 4-, a view of a fragment of the top of the mail bag showing the manner of forming folds which constitute the closure and the location of the locking studs with relation to the folds; Fig. 5, an enlarged sectional view on the line of Fig. 1; and. Fig. 6, an enlarged section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings 1 indicates the fabric body or side wall of the mail bag which has its top edge formed with a series of similar arcnate scallops 2, in spaced relation to each other, a straight edge 3 connecting the edges of the adjacent arcuate scallops. The upper end of the fabric body 1 is then plaited to form the alternate large and small folds 4 and 5 respectively, the line of folds between the small fold 5 and the large fold 4 on one side being inclined to Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

Serial No. 516,015.

the vertical axis of the bag and the line of folds between said small fold and the adjacent large fold on the opposite side being parallel to the vertical axis of the bag. To produce a natural tendency to the upper end of the fabric body to assume the plaited status illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the following structure' is resorted to :First the large and small folds are reinforced a desired distance inwardly from the top edge of the fabric side of the bag in any suitable lnanner, preferably by applying a layer of sole leather 2! thereto and riveting same to the. fabric by means of the rivets 8, it be ing understood that the line of folds (l and 7 are not reinforced, or if reinforced it is to a much less extent than the folds 4t and 5, whereby a different degree of flexibility is had twtwcen the folds t and 5 and the lines of fold t3 and 7; secondly, a layer of flexible material 22 is disposed over the line of fold 7, and has it's terminals secured between the leather reinforcing 93 of the folds and the fabric body '1; a considerable por tion of said layer 22 being located between adjacent edges of the reinforcing layers 23 so that when said folds t and 5 tend to move inwardly the distance between the edges of the reinfm'cing leather layers 23, adjacent the line of fold 7 will decrease and the portion of the layer 99 disposed between said edges will be compressed and forced out- 'ardly so as to protrude between said edges and at. the same time serve as an abutment to etl'ectually terminate said tendency of the folds to move ouhvardly; third, there is disposed over the line of fold (3 on the inner face of the fabric 1 a strengthening strip Q-t and the folds 41; and 5 are permanently secured together a slight distance from the line of folds 6 by the rivets 95 which pass through the strengthening strip 9t. the fabric 1 and the leather reinforcing layers of the fold. it will thus be obvious that the folds i and 5 will always be maintained angularly disposed with relation to each other, even when not in a completely folded state and it will be further apparent that it will require but the slighest effort to move said folds to a completely folded state for the purpose of closing the mouth of the bag. It. will also be apparent that when the month end of the fabric body 1 is disposed in a plaited state the large folds -it will overlie the small folds 5 and the arcuate edges of said folds will constitute the annular wall of an aperture located centrally of the bag around which the plaits are disposed.

Secured to each of the large folds d on the under side thereof is a latch which comprises a stem portion 9 secured directly to the fold and extending beyond the edge thereof and located adjacent the inclined line of folds 6. The outer or free end of said latch stem has formed thereon the downwardly and upwardly projecting locking studs 10 and 11, which when the top of the bag is disposed in a plaited state lie in annular formation di rectly within the arcuate edges of the folds.

Secured to one of the large folds d on its under face by means of a strap 12 is a looking plate or keeper 13; said plate or keeper being of circular formation and the strap 12 of such length that said plate or keeper will be disposed directly beneath the circular aperture formed by the arcuate edges of the folds of the plaits. Projecting centrally from the top face of the plate 13 is a stud 14 which has a staple 15 mounted in its outer end, wnile an annular groove 16 is formed in the top face of the plate 13 and surrounds said stud 1%.

An upper locking plate 17 adapted. to lie in vertical alinement with respect to the locking plate 14 is secured to the top face of one of the folds lby means of a strap 18. An annular recess 19 is formed centrally in the lower face of the plate 17 and a slot 20 is cut through the inner wall of the recess 19 passing out through the top face of the said plate. A suitable handle 21 for supporting the bag as an entirety is pivotally connected with said plate 17.

The manner of operating the closure just described will be obvious.

Assuming the bag to be full and ready for locking the folds 4 are disposed over the folds to produce a series of overlying plaits. The staple 15 is then gripped and raised to move the keeper 13 upwardly, when the studs will enter the annular groove 16. The upper keeper 17 is then moved to a position in vertical alinement with the keeper 13 when the staple will pass through the slot and the studs 11 into the annular recess 19. A look 21 is then secured to said staple and a permanently locked condition of the closure effected, by reason of the non-detachable engagement existing between the keepers 13 and 17 and the studs 10 and 11. The manner of opening the closure will be obvious; it being only necessary to remove the lock 22 from the staple 1.5 when an easy disengagement of all the parts can be readily effected.

What is claimed is:

1. A bag closure comprising in combination a bag body, a series of locking devices secured around the edge of the mouth thereof, a pair of keeperplates each having their adjacent faces recessed for the reception of said locking devices when disposed in vertical alinement on opposite sides of said locking devices; and means for locking said keepers together when said locking devices are disposed in the recesses of said keeper plates.

2. A bag closure comprising in combination, a bag body, a series of catches secured around the edge of the mouth thereof; said catches comprising a stem portion fixed to said bag body and a projecting terminal portion provided with upwardly and downwardly disposed studs, a lower keeper having an annular groove in its upper face adapted to receive the downwardly projecting studs of the catches, an upper keeper provided with a recess in its lower face adapted to receive the upwardly projecting studs of the catches; and means for locking said keepers together when in engagement with the studs of said catches.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in presnce of two witnesses.

AARON W. CLARK.

V'Vitnesses G. O. lVINN, H. D. KARNEs. 

